Southern California -- this just in

Gov. Brown sends out robocall for Gilbert Cedillo's City Council bid

A robocall recorded by Gov. Jerry Brown went out to 25,000 voters Monday in support of Gilbert Cedillo, a candidate for an Eastside seat on the Los Angeles City Council.

"I've worked with him in Sacramento," Brown said in the recording, "and I believe he will do
everything humanly possible to make things better
in your neighborhood."

The automated call is Brown's first during this election cycle, a Cedillo campaign spokesman said. Brown's office could not be reached for comment. The call went out to voters in the 1st District who registered as Democrats and voters who declined to state their party affiliation.

Cedillo is a familiar figure in the state capital, having served two terms in the Senate and two in the Assembly. His dedication to passing a law that would allow undocumented immigrants to be eligible for driver's licenses sparked the nickname "One-Bill Gil."

The 1st District cuts a diagonal swath from Pico-Union to Highland Park. It's the third-smallest council district by area and one of the poorest. Half the voting population is Latino. Nearly 15% is Asian.

Cedillo has said he hopes to revitalize the 1st District, where job growth declined 9.6% in 2011, according to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the average wage was third-lowest in the city.

The call was paid for by Gil Cedillo for City Council.

Cedillo's chief rival is Jose Gardea, the longtime chief of staff for current Councilman Ed Reyes.